Three years after starting its AI drive-thru testing, McDonald’s has decided to scrap the plan after many customers ended up with weird and hilarious orders.
According to Restaurant Business, the AI drive-thru testing has been occurring at around 100 locations since 2021. However, the testing didn’t come with some glitches, with some customers yelling their orders and not receiving the correct items.
Among the incorrect orders that some McDonald’s customers experienced were a handful of butter, hundreds of chicken nuggets, and ice cream loaded with bacon.
In an email obtained by Restaurant Business, Mason Smoot, chief restaurant officer for McDonald’s USA, spoke about the testing.
“While there have been successes to date, we feel there is an opportunity to explore voice ordering solutions more broadly. After a thoughtful review, McDonald’s has decided to end our current partnership with IBM on AOT,” Smoot stated. “And the technology will be shut off in all restaurants, currently testing it no later than July 26, 2024.”
Smoot also said the company will continue to evaluate its plans. It will also make “an informed decision on a future voice ordering solution by the end of the year.”
Smoot then added, “IBM has given us confidence that a voice ordering solution for drive-thru will be part of our restaurant’s future, and we want to sincerely thank IBM and the restaurant teams that have been part of this crucial test,”
McDonald’s AI Drive-Thru Testing Was To Determine If the Option Was Faster With Orders
Meanwhile, in a statement to Restaurant Business, McDonald’s explained the goal of the AI drive-thru test was to determine if the automated voice ordering could speed up the service and simplify operations.
“Our work with IBM has given us the confidence that a voice-ordering solution for drive-thru will be part of our restaurants’ future,” McDonald’s said. “We see tremendous opportunity in advancing our restaurant technology.”
McDonald’s then said it continues to evaluate long-term, scalable solutions. “[This] will help us make an informed decision on a future voice ordering solution by the end of the year.”
IBM also released a statement about the situation. “IBM developed automated order taker technologies with McDonald’s to support the emerging use of voice-activated AI in restaurant drive-thrus,” the company explained.
The company stated the technology proved to have some of the most comprehensive capabilities in the industry. It is also claimed to be fast and accurate in some of the most demanding conditions.